CAIR-Chicago hosted its first international delegation of the year with a group of youth mentors and activists from the United Kingdom. The group is visiting the U.S. through an exchange program sponsored by one of CAIR-Chicago’s partner organizations, the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC). CAIR-Chicago’s Outreach Coordinator Gerald Hankerson and Communications Coordinator Reem Rahman hosted and presented, with IFYC’s Outreach Education and Training Program Associate, Hind Makki, accompanying the group.

IFYC is hosting exchange programs to Los Angeles and Chicago for a group of nine youth leaders from United Kingdom-based community organizations, including a representative of another one of CAIR-Chicago’s partner organizations, the Scottish Islamic Foundation (SIF). The group will explore the American experience in addressing critical social challenges in urban environments with potential best practices designed to positively engage disaffected young people. They will also visit with various faith-based organizations and religious communities in the U.S. to learn how they contribute to building a strong civil society through volunteerism, social services, and political engagement with a particular focus on ethnic minorities and immigrants.

The delegates were introduced to the history of CAIR, and the work of the Chicago chapter on behalf of the Muslim community in the greater metropolitan region. The delegates learned how CAIR-Chicago empowers and mobilizes people to do more as active citizens, particularly through the Volunteer Activist (VA) program, the Intern and Externship program for college and graduate students, and the Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium for high school students.